1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to straddle-type vehicles and, in particular, to a straddle-type vehicle (e.g., a motor scooter) having a headlight assembly for providing enhanced illumination from a fore end of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Motor scooters typically have a front portion of a vehicle body cover positioned at least partially above a front wheel of the vehicle. In addition, motor scooters have a headlight disposed on a front portion of the vehicle. However, on many motor scooters, the headlight is either disposed above a top portion of the front wheel or slightly behind the front wheel. The headlight is also typically close to the head pipe of the vehicle body and extends from an upper portion of the vehicle body cover. Consequently, the height of the front portion of the vehicle body cover, including the headlight, is likely to be relatively high because of the placement of the headlight above the front wheel and near the head pipe. As a result, the headlight is significantly high relative to the ground.
Placement of the headlight on an upper portion of the front portion of the vehicle body cover has other disadvantageous effects. First, the headlight often protrudes from the vehicle body cover when disposed on an upper portion thereof. As a result, the aerodynamic configuration of the motor scooter is negatively affected because the protruding headlight generates significant wind resistance during operating conditions. Second, the headlight occupies space on the upper portion of the vehicle body front portion cover. Such space could be used for other components of the motor scooter if an alternative location for the headlight were provided. Third, the placement of the headlight above the front wheel and/or behind the front wheel is aesthetically unappealing to some users and observers of motor scooters. This problem is particularly important because the front portion of the vehicle body cover and the headlight are both prominent features of the vehicle and are often the first components of the motor scooter seen by observers.